Fire-escape



(No Model.)

W. W. DRAKE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 275,608. Patented App-10, 1883.

N4 PETERS. Plwm-lilhugnphun Washington, ac.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARREN W. DRAKE, OF GIRARD, OHIO.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,608, dated April 10, 1883.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WARREN W. DRAKE,a citizen of the United States,residin g at Girard, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus designed for use as a fire-escape, or for descending flues, shafts, wells, and the like; and it has for its objects the provision of means adapted to these uses which shall be strong, serviceable, and reliable in its operation, and capable of ready adaptation and adjustment for the carriage of loads of varying weight.

With these objects in view, myinvention consistsin certain features, hereinafter described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a perspective of an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention, a portion being removed to expose certain details. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the rubber frictional pads and its case with suspension-hook Fig. 3, a central vertical section of the whole device.

Like letters refer to like parts in all the figures.

A represents a shaft, the middle portion thereof being round and the outer portion in this instance square in cross section. Upon the middle of the shaft is mounted a drum, B, which is of suitable dimensions to contain a desired length of rope, G, secured thereto by a staple or pin, 0. The free end of I the rope is provided with a strap, 0, having a terminal ring, 0 by which a loop may be formed for the reception of the foot or the feet orthe body of a person when using the apparatus. The rope may be of metal or hemp, or any other material, tire-proofed or not, as desired, and in its stead a leather or thin metal strap or flat webbing may be used. As shown,

the drum B is designed for the employment of but a single rope or its above-mentioned equivalents singly; but, if desired, a second rope or an equivalent may be coiled upon the drum in a direction opposite to that shown, whereby when one of said ropes is unwound by the use of the apparatus the other would be wound about the drum, ready for a second use of the apparatus, which, when so used a second time,

'vided with nuts a (1.

would rewind the first-used rope. In this case, however, thedrum would preferably bedivided by a central flange to separate the rope-containing sections. So far as this feature is concerned I therefore do not limit myself to using a single rope, as shown. The drum is of such length relative to the length of the shaft as to completely occupy the middle third, and, if desired, may exceed this proportionate length, and also project over the outer thirds, a, thereof. The outer thirds of the shaft are, as before stated, square in cross-section, and upon each is mountedacase, D, provided with a hub, D", which is exteriorly and interiorly square in cross-section, and adapted to move longitudinally upon the shaft. In each of the cases D is a thick rubber friction pad or cushion, D held in place by bolts (1, the heads of which are deeply countersunk in the rubber, which they bind firmly within the case by passing through the same, and by being secured by nuts 01' upon the outer face of the case. 7

Upon each of the hubs is asnap-hook, E E, to suspend the device, the axial eye of each hook being also square in cross-section. The ends of the shafts are screw-threaded, and pro- Between the nut a and the hook E a washer is placed, so as to retain the hook upon the hub. Serving alike function at the opposite end of the shaft is a dial-plate, F, which is retained upon the hub of the case D between the hook E and the washer adjoining the nut a This nut has an arm to .form a pointer, a which can be made to pass over a scale marked upon the dial to indicate a frictional pressure corresponding with certain weights applied to the free end of the rope O. The hub is reduced to form a shoulder, against which the dial rests, and a washer is placed between said dial and the nut a but said shoulder and washer maybe dispensed with. As thus far described it will be seen that when'the parts are assembled the casesD and their contained friction-cushions may, by means of the nuts a a be forced against the head of the drum B, and thus produce and maintain an amount of friction between the cushions and the drum proportionate to the extent to which the said nuts are tightened. In this manner the apparatus is prepared or arranged to withstand a normal weight at the free end of the rope of slightly less than an intended load, so that when such a load is put upon the rope the drum will revolve and pay off the rope with the desired rapidity. In case an additional load is to be lowered, the nut a is tightened until its pointer a indicates upon the dial such additional load, and the apparatus is then adapted to the increase of weight to be lowered. Hence in use it is necessary only to attach by means of the hook E E the apparatus to suitable fixtures within a room or upon the outer wall of a building, and to stand or sit in or pass around the body the loop of the strap 0, first having set the pointer upon the dial at a point somewhatless than the weight of the person using the apparatus, when the shalt will remain stationary and only the drum will revolve therein, and this with a speed the inverse of the friction of the cushions upon its heads.

To adapt the apparatus to an additional and somewhat quicker adjustment to increased loads, I have provided additional means for increasing the friction, which may be availed of, in connection with a determined frictional adjustment to a certain load, in order to stop the rotation of the drum at desired points in a descent for purposes of observation or continued rest, or for a sudden increase of the load. Such means consists of an extra brake mechanism, which comprises the following elemeuts:

Upon one of the friction-cases (preferably the one on the right hand) is formed a lug, d upon which is pivoted a brake-lever,G,'which passes by the shaft and extends upwardly over the end of a slidingpin or bolt,g,\vhicl1 passes through another lug, (2 also formed on the case, and is provided at its end with a friction-pad, of leather, rubber, or other suitable material. The hook E is extended below the shaft to form a rigid support, 0, for a pulley, e, over which a brake-rope, G passes, and is secured to the brake-lever G.

It will be seen that as the rope G is pulled the lower end of the lever is drawn out and its upper end is thrown in against the pin or bolt 9, and theinnerend of the latter is forced against the head of the drum, and thus produces friction in addition to that produced by the cushions, so that the rotation of the drum upon the shaft may be impeded or stopped.

It is evident that one of the friction-cases and cushion may be dispensed with in lighter or portable apparatus, in which case the hook E would be secured to the square end of the shaft near the adjacent drum-head; and it is also evident that the non-rotative elements maybe secured to around shaft by being keyed thereto, the cushion-cases being adapted to move longitudinally upon the shaft by means of an elongated key-seat formed therein; or a spline upon the shaft and a slot in the cases may be employed for the same purposes. Other means may be employed for supporting the non-rotative cushions, and other minor changes may be made,without departing from the sub stance of my invention.

Having now fully described my invention and its operation, what I claim is-- 1. In a fire-escape, a non-rotative shaft, a drum adapted to rotate thereon, a non-rotative friction-rubber cushion secured in a flanged case and adapted to move longitudinally upon the shaft and suspension devices, combined substantially as described.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination of a nonrotative shaft,a drum adapted to rotate thereon, a non-rotative friction -rubber cushion adapted to move longitudinally upon the shaft, and a supplementary brake mechanism, substantially as specified.

3. The combination ofthe non-rotative shaft A, the rotative drum B, and the non-rotative friction-cushions D the cushion-cases, and means for forcing the cushions against the drum, substantially as specified.

4.*'Ihe combination of the shaft A, round atits middle third and square at its outer thirds, with the drum D and friction-rubber cushions adapted to fit upon said square outer thirds, respectively, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination of the shaftA, having square outer portions, the rotative drum B, the friction-cushions D ,cushion-cases D, snapiJOOliS E E, secured to the hubs of the cushioncases, and nuts, a a substantially as and for the purposes described.

6. The combination of the shaft A, drum B, friction-cushions D and cushion-cases D, titting square portions of the shaft, with the nuts to and a the latter provided with a pointer, a and the dial F, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination of the shaft A, hooks E E, drum B, friction-cushion D", cushionease D, provided with the brake-lever G, and friction-pin g, with the ropes O and G, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. The combination of the case D, having hub D, lugs 11 d", lever G, and pin 9, with cushion D its bolts 01 and nuts d,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WARREN W. DRAKE.

Witnesses E. E. MASSON, W. B. MASSON. 

